Reinventing the Plastic Bottle was the first event in the 'Reinventing Series' hosted by the Hoffmann Centre at Chatham House. The series explores new designs, technologies, products and practical solutions that could better meet future social and environmental needs.

By 2050 more plastic than fish (by weight) could be in our oceans. Unabated, global sales of single-use water bottles are expected to increase to 580 billion per year by 2021. Yet despite numerous initiatives and public campaigns, less than half of the plastic bottles sold in 2016 were collected for recycling.

Do these concerns call for a reinvention of the plastic bottle as we know it?

At this event, a dynamic panel highlighted original ideas, technologies and scalable practical solutions that could disrupt current patterns of plastic bottle use and disposal. Interacting with the panellists, participants assessed different innovative options and explored how best to speed up and scale up their uptake.